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Reviewed by Olly Clifton

Maya Payne: The Lucky Ones EP

Reviewed by Olly Clifton

Maya Payne: The Lucky Ones EP

For a single that’s almost two years old, Maya Payne ’s opening If Only feels incredibly current. 808-style kicks play out with a trap influenced swing and quick stuttering hi-hats. Interesting percussion and minimal instrumentation at the start of the track hint at the hyper-modern Anna Wise production style that creeps into a few songs on the EP. However the minimalism quickly gives way to pulsing synth chords in that slow attack, sudden release style we’ve become familiar with on records by the likes of Flume and Auckland’s Sachi. This is followed throughout with slow intros turning into festival-worthy choruses. The formula does feel a little tired after a while and this EP is probably most interesting outside the choruses, in its more experimental moments. Reverb soaked ambient breaks in Self Defined and interesting vocal stuttering, paired with elegantly constructed percussion parts at the start of Fragile X are a couple of highlights. ‘The Lucky Ones’ is a slick collection of songs that sound very ready for radio play and performance. Lyrically the Christchurch teen doesn’t break any new ground, but does avoid the cliché-ridden hooks common in this genre.

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